Peregrine Banding 2025

North Shore Highlights June along Minnesota’s North Shore means long days, crashing waves, and—for a dedicated crew of climbers, biologists, photographers, and volunteers—the rush of peregrine falcon banding season. This year’s effort took me to 15 nesting sites scattered along the rugged cliffs of Lake Superior, each one a window into the lives of these […]

Growing Up on the Edge

A Cliffside Beginning High on a rocky cliff above Lake Superior, a pair of peregrine falcons welcomes new life into the world. In just 40 days, their tiny, fluffy chicks will grow into fierce young falcons, ready to soar over the lake. Here’s a look at how fast these cliffside raptors grow—and what it takes […]

Peregrine Falcon Banding 2024

Nestled against the rugged cliffs of Lake Superior’s north shore, a fascinating and vital conservation effort unfolds each spring: the banding of peregrine falcons. These majestic raptors, renowned for their breathtaking speed and hunting prowess, have made a remarkable comeback from the brink of extinction. This photo essay delves into the meticulous process of banding […]

Fueling Flight

How Mountain Ash Berries Nourish our Feathered Friends

The Unclaimed Prize

The coyote-raven relationship is an example of loose symbiosis. If one has found food, it’s not long before the other has joined in. Coyotes will often follow ravens to carrion, and in turn, ravens have been known to lead coyotes to carcasses too big for them to rip apart. At the carcass, the ravens will […]